


Si vis pacem

by Dexterous_Sinistrous



Series: The Continental [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - John Wick (Movies) Setting, Bartender Stiles Stilinski, Hitman Derek, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:06:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28324290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dexterous_Sinistrous/pseuds/Dexterous_Sinistrous
Summary: “Do Christmas lights have expiration dates?” Stiles quizzically asked. He sighed, picking up his wine glass from the edge of the coffee table. He drank a large amount as he surveyed the storage containers around the living room. He looked at Bella, a faint smiling pulling at his lips as she raised her eyebrows upon looking up at him.~*~Stiles tries to make Christmas special for Baba yaga
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: The Continental [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2074311
Comments: 11
Kudos: 167





	Si vis pacem

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise! I had enough time to do a second little holiday ficlet. Enjoy!! I hope you're having a happy end of the year, and that you're safe and joyful (or that this can put at least a smile on your face) <3

Stiles tried to untangle the lights to little success. He must have spun around himself at least three times before pausing to observe the mess he had made of what he was certain Derek would have made simple work of. He took care to step through the lights, avoiding the small bulbs he hoped still worked.

“Do Christmas lights have expiration dates?” Stiles quizzically asked. He sighed, picking up his wine glass from the edge of the coffee table. He drank a large amount as he surveyed the storage containers around the living room. He looked at Bella, a faint smiling pulling at his lips as she raised her eyebrows upon looking up at him.

“Daddy isn’t going to like this,” Stiles mused to Bella as he looked at the other containers. He definitely was overly confident in his abilities to decorate in a short amount of time.

Stiles stepped over the lights, knowing he’d need Derek’s help to untangle them. He pulled one of the containers close to him, moving to sit next to Bella on the couch. He tightly held onto his wine glass in one hand as he fiddled with the container’s cover. He popped it off, a triumphant sigh escaping his lips as he peered into the box.

It was their first Christmas spent living together, and Stiles had noticed the lack of decorations in Derek’s house.

Stiles hesitated when he picked up the first item. He reached to place his wine glass on the coffee table, using both hands to delicately handle the items in the container.

Pristine white boxes labeled ‘Laura’s’ were neatly placed within the plastic storage container. He moved a few before he realized the entire bin must have belonged to Laura. His stomach dropped as he looked at the other storage containers. He stood up, moving to inspect the next container. He felt sick when he saw more boxes labeled with Laura’s name.

“Oh no, Bella,” Stiles mumbled upon seeing that only two of the bins were Christmas decorations for the rest of the house, without a sight of Laura’s name. He froze when he heard the telltale sounds of the garage door opening. “Shit!” He exclaimed as he rushed out of the middle of the chaos he had created.

Stiles headed Derek off at the entrance to the garage. He fiddled with the hem of his sweater as he waited for Derek to get through the door.

Derek paused when he saw Stiles standing in the mudroom, looking guilty. “Um, surprise?” He offered, unsure what was happening.

Stiles looked up at Derek. “I made a mistake.”

Derek stared at Stiles.

“I’m glad you’re home!” Stiles quickly stated. “I didn’t cheat on you or something.”

“I didn’t think you did,” Derek replied as he started to take off his coat. He took his time to hang it up on the coat rack before looking back at Stiles. “You’re concerning me.”

“I wanted to surprise you,” Stiles sighed, taking a step into Derek’s space in order to hug him.

Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles. “I’m surprised you’re awake,” he replied. “Santa won’t come if you’re still awake.”

Stiles faintly snorted, looking up at Derek. He kissed him, his hand cupping Derek’s cheek to steady himself. “I don’t need Santa when I have the Baba Yaga.”

“Does this make me Krampus?” Derek playfully questioned.

Stiles laughed, “Santa doesn’t come a week early.” He took Derek by the hand as he led him back into the house. “Promise you won’t be upset,” he started.

“Stiles, what could be so—” Derek stopped in his tracks when he saw the multiple bin containers around the living room.

Bella stood in a coil of christmas lights, her tail wagging excitedly when she saw Derek. There was a bow on her head, which Stiles placed when finding the wrapping paper and accessories.

“You pulled the Christmas decoration bins out of the attic,” Derek slowly deadpanned as he observed it. He realized that Stiles had the tree stand and skirt ready in the corner where the tree would be most out of the way. If they had a tree.

“I wasn’t thinking,” Stiles dejectedly uttered. “It’s been so long since my mom that I … ” He stopped when he saw Derek’s jaw tighten. He looked where Derek was looking, realizing he had seen the ornament boxes labeled ‘Laura’s’ in one of the bins. “I was going to put them back when I realized, but then I heard you in the garage.”

“It’s okay, Stiles,” Derek sighed.

“You’re mad,” Stiles quickly uttered.

Derek shook his head. “I’m not.”

Stiles’ brow furrowed.

“I’m not mad,” Derek stated again as he reached out to Stiles. He pulled him closer, gently kissing him before offering a faint, “I’m tired though. I’ll help you in the morning, okay?”

Stiles faintly nodded his head, “I’ll be up in a bit,” he added, watching as Derek walked towards the steps.

Bella whined as she moved to sit next to Stiles.

Stiles reached a hand down, knocking the bow off her head as he scratched her ear.

~*~

Derek woke up alone. He was used to Stiles groaning in annoyance with the early alarm. He realized Stiles’ side of the bed was cold. He slipped out of bed, not at all surprised when Bella met him halfway down the stairs. He followed her down into the living to find more than half the storage containers gone.

Stiles was sitting among the strings of lights, finally having unraveled them. He carefully began to wrap the lights in a small oval shape to keep them from tangling.

“What are you doing?” Derek asked once he was closer.

Stiles startled briefly, looking at Derek. “I couldn’t really sleep until they were all away.”

Derek looked around them. “Did you not sleep?”

“I slept a little,” Stiles nonchalantly offered.

Derek sighed, moving to sit next to Stiles. He moved one of the strings of lights. “You didn’t understand what I meant, did you?”

Stiles looked at Derek in confusion. “Maybe not,” he uttered in uncertainty.

Derek noticed that the boxes of Laura’s things were gone, likely back in the attic. “I meant I’d help you with the lights in the morning,” he explained. He looked at Stiles, reaching out to gently take the lights out of Stiles’ hands. “I didn’t mean for you to think we had to put all the decorations away.”

“I crossed a line—”

“You didn’t,” Derek firmly uttered as he cupped Stiles’ face in his hands, making the younger man look at him. “This house, everything in it, including my past, is ours.”

Stiles visibly eased with Derek’s words, a weight lifting off his shoulders.

“There are some boxes I’m not ready to open,” Derek explained. “But these decorations,” he faintly laughed when he saw the older lights partially hanging outside the container. “These ones I would be more than happy to put up together.”

“We don’t even have a tree,” Stiles released a watery laugh.

“It was my own mistake for not realizing how close we were getting to Christmas,” Derek explained. He brushed his thumb over Stiles’ cheek, brushing away a stray tear. “If you’re not too exhausted, let’s go pick one.”

Stiles drew in a steady breath, nodding his head.

~*~

Stiles turned around the tree, inspecting all sides of it. He smiled when Bella wiggled against the tree he was looking at. He knelt beside Bella, “Is this the one?”

Bella sniffed at the tree before pressing her face into Stiles.

Stiles scratched Bella’s ears, looking over his shoulder to see Derek inspecting a larger tree. “Babe,” he faintly laughed.

Derek looked at Stiles, arching his eyebrows.

“I mean, that tree will fit, but we don’t have enough lights for that.”

Derek shrugged. “Your dad said about getting one for the Continental,” he replied.

Stiles made a faint noise of understanding as he walked over to Derek, Bella following after him.

“Well, we can ask if they deliver,” Stiles replied, taking hold of Derek’s hand to pull him over to the tree Bella had picked out.

“This the one you want?” Derek asked as he leaned to see the other side of the tree.

“Bella likes it,” Stiles mused as he looked at Derek.

Derek entwined his fingers with Stiles. “It’s a good one.”

“You’re going to have to help me carry it,” Stiles laughed. He took a step back and watched as Derek released his hand before moving to pick up the tree. “Derek—”

“I have it,” Derek replied as he got a better grip on the tree’s trunk.

Stiles shook his head, laughing some as he called Bella after him. He let Derek bring the tree to the car as he went to pay.

~*~

“I can’t believe you carried that tree,” Stiles mused as he observed the tree standing in the corner of their living room. He let Derek go into the attic to get the storage bins, knowing he’d know which ones were the right to grab. He picked up the two glasses of wine, sipping some as he turned to face Derek.

Derek was carrying a stack of two bins in his arms. He set them down next to the coffee table, accepting the wine glass from Stiles. “You make me sound fraile,” he noted.

Stiles laughed, “You’ve been injured more than your typical independently wealthy man.”

Derek faintly laughed as he took a drink of wine.

Stiles looked down at the lights, taking hold of one strand of lights in his free hand. He walked over to the tree, laying part of the lights out. “We’ll probably have to check the lights. Make sure none of the bulbs are out.” He grabbed the end of the lights, plugging them into the light by the tree. He smiled as he turned around to watch them slowly fade in and out.

Derek placed his wine glass down as he walked forward, joining Stiles at the center of the lights.

Stiles smiled at Derek, wrapping his arms around Derek’s shoulders as he leaned in to kiss him. “Merry Christmas,” he softly uttered, hand gently brushing through Derek’s hair.

“Merry Christmas,” Derek echoed in answer. He pressed a gentle kiss to Stiles’ lips. He let Stiles pull back from him when Bella nearly entangled herself in the lights.

“You silly billy,” Stiles huffed under his breath as he helped her to get out from under the lights. He reached out to the coffee table, setting his wine glass down in order to help Bella with both hands. He smiled as he got her out of the lights, turning back to Derek. He was frozen with uncertainty when he saw that Derek was kneeling in front of him.

Derek reached out, taking Stiles’ hand in his own. “I spoke to your father, that’s why I wasn’t gone as long as I normally am with a job.”

Stiles tightened his hold on Derek’s hand. He always felt uneasy when Derek would leave to do the odd job with John, unsure how he felt—nervous for Derek but glad his father was being protected by the Boogeyman of the underworld.

“I wanted to pick out the right ring,” Derek concluded, offering up a slender ring of silver and black. “Will you marry me, Stiles? Take me for all my faults.”

Stiles released a small choked off sob that turned into a laugh. He nodded, falling down onto his knees beside Derek, forgetting for a moment about the danger of the bulbs across the floor. He kissed Derek, wrapping his arms around Derek’s shoulders.

“Is that a yes?” Derek faintly chuckled between kisses.

“Yes,” Stiles quickly stated. “Yes, of course, yes!” He pulled back to offer his hand up for Derek to place the ring on his finger. He kissed Derek again before he finished slipping the ring on his finger.

Bella flew through the strings of light, sliding into Derek and Stiles with excitement. She wagged her tail when Derek and Stiles both laughed before paying her more attention.


End file.
